Gross Growth

8 years ago

Yesterday I noticed that some leaves on one hosta were turning yellow and brown. I looked closer and saw a fungal growth at the base of the plant. It's obviously not a harmless growth, as it's affecting the leaves. I have many hostas, and have found this to some degree on three of them, not located right next to each other. Hostas located immediately next to the affected hostas are unaffected. The pictures I am showing here are of the worst one. I looked at pictures of Southern Blight, and other rot pictures and it doesn't look like that to me. I don't see any of the 'seeds' described on anything, either. Nor do I see the stringy webbing. I also noticed that between today and yesterday the mass, primarily knotted around the base of the hosta yesterday, has migrated onto the soil top next to the plant. You can see it in the more close up picture. Obviously this is a fungus of some kind, but can anyone tell what? What should I do with it? It is very wet right now, we recently had a lot of heat and humidity, but it has cooled off and the humidity is gone. Thanks!!

Angie

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Comments (5)

lindalana 5b Chicago
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Southern blight bit unusual for your zone... I generally would attempt to use actinovate and mycos to the soil. Lifting the plant and cleaning, reporting would be my choice, providing I want that hostas saved. Otherwise, all goes into trash and soil gets treated
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
8 years ago
Looks more like a slime mold of some sort but that shouldn't affect the hosta. Do your other damaged hosta have this? Perhaps the slime mold is guilty by association. Slime molds would wash of with a spray of water.

tj
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angt29 (Minnesota, zone 4b)
Original Author
8 years ago
I do get some other weird 'slimier' types of molds in my yard. This looks a little firmer. Honestly, it looks like a weird mushroom. I get that it's all fungus, but it looks like it has more substance, and it's growing on top of the soil as well. Since it's popping up in random spots around my yard, it's hard to believe I suddenly have some terrible disease affecting independent plants. Thank you both for your input; I appreciate it. Maybe there is still someone out there who can identify it??
djacob68z5sewi
8 years ago
Were you overzealous with slug bait, getting it into the middle of your leaves on some plants? I admit in the past I have done this myself.
angt29 (Minnesota, zone 4b)
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes, I DID use slug bait!! And I noticed that when I did it and it sat and got wet, it grew. For the first time ever, I had slugs feasting on my hostas, so I used some of the iron based slug stuff. Do you think this is a result of that? And yes, I'm sure I did get some in the middle of some plants.